


Second Chance

by areeskimosreal



Category: Peter Kay's Car Share (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 15:54:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18318485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/areeskimosreal/pseuds/areeskimosreal
Summary: Behind every strong man, is an even stronger woman.





	Second Chance

She must be mad even doing this, what on earth was she thinking, this was lunacy, She knew where she was going, he’d let slip the address once, when he ordered flowers, she had heard him, and had the forethought to write it down, just in case she ever needed to go there, in case of an emergency or something, right now was definitely a something. Knowing where was one thing, she tried to pretend to herself that she didn't know why, but she did. 

The the rain was teeming down, adding a typically northern sombre grey backdrop to what was already a bleak miserable day, it would brighten up later, the weather, and the day perhaps. 

Her wipers were working overtime, ordinarily she never interfered, offered advice or drove in the wet, ever, and yet here she was, breaking all her own rules, not as much stepping out of her comfort zone, but jumping with both feet into the unknown. Her comfortable existence shattered by events she had no control over, she hadn't been involved, she wasn't there, she didn't see what happened, hear what was said, or witness the aftermath, but deep down she knew, if she was different, he would be different, it was her fault. At the end of the day she made him how he was, he didn't know any better, so she had to explain, it was her duty to fix this, or die trying.

“ Your destination is on the right, you have reached your destination “ the voice from the sat nav startled her, shaking her out of her thoughts.

“ Thanks “ she said absently, switching it off. She drove past slowly, the blinds were shut but there were lights on in several rooms. She parked up and composed herself, bracing herself for, well anything really, this was uncharted territory for her, she turned up her collar, smiled at herself in the mirror, left the warm dry cocoon of her car, and walked head held high, up to the door.

She rang the bell and waited.

She heard a male voice say “ I'll get it “ and heard the tell tale sound of a bolt being drawn, the sudden bright light from the hallway temporarily blinded her.

“ Hello love can I help you ?,“ the homeowner smiled warmly, he recognised his visitor from a visit he had made to collect bike parts some time ago, he nodded, “I'll go get them love okay “ 

“ Thank you Steve “ she said, smiling at the sound of children's laughter coming from within.

“ Hiya, were you looking for me ?” a second person asked as she appeared at the doorway, 

“ I'm Joan love, Joan Redmond, John's mum, can we talk Kayleigh? “ 

 

Joan went back and sat in her car, although she wasn't leaving yet she started it, put the heating on, and waited.

A few minutes later, the passenger door opened and a little redhead got in, she sat facing the front , arms crossed.

“ Did he send you did he ?” she said coldly.” send mummy to talk to me ?”

“ No love he didn't, he doesn't know I'm here, he’d be furious if he did, you know what he's like ….?” 

“ I thought I did “ 

“ You do, you know you do “

Kayleigh looked at Joan, Joan was looking back smiling.

“ You know him like no one else Kayleigh love, no one knows him better, not even me “

“ Do you know what happened today ?” 

“ Yes, you broke his heart, and he cried all the way home” 

“ His heart ?” Kayleigh shouted “ his heart, what about mine eh ?” 

“ He told me he had broken yours, that's why he was crying, he was sure he had “ 

“ He did break it “

“ He knows that “ 

“ I thought he……, it doesn't matter “ 

“ Of course his being in love with you matters, it matters very much “ 

“ Did he tell you he loves me ?” Kayleigh asked wiping her eyes.

“ He won't, not until he's told you, but he does, he doesn't have to tell me I know, the way he talks, the way he acts, the way he smiles when you phone him, and a hundred other little things, I've lost him to you Kayleigh, he's not my John anymore “

“ I love him Joan, and I had to tell him, I'm not a teenager, I know how I feel about him is different, it's……it's …...special, I've never felt like this before “ 

“ Is he the one , do you think ?”

Kayleigh looked at Joan, she was sitting looking intently at Kayleigh, Kayleigh found her hard to read.

“ I don't think, I know “ Kayleigh replied bluntly.

“ Good,” Joan patted Kayleigh's hand, “lovely in fact “ 

“ Why is he, what's the word ?”

“ Shit scared ?” 

“ No “ Kayleigh  smiled “ well maybe “

“ That's my fault love, I'm like that and John gets it from me, emotionally the fruit didn't fall far from the tree I'm afraid “

“ But he's such a loving, caring , gentle man “ 

“ I'll tell you something not many people know love, my mum died when I was nine, my dad never got over it, they had been school sweethearts, inseparable, compatible, besotted, lived for each other, I've got two older sister, six and eight years older than me, they were more mature. Now my dad loved us we knew it, but it was as if most of his love had died when my mum did, I don't remember many hugs after that, by the time I reached puberty my sisters were out the house, when I was at the stage in life where you need your mum, I had no one, when I tried to hug dad he would brush me off, my gran was wonderful so was my dad's sister Doris, she wasn't much older than me and she was there for me, but I never really learned how to show my feelings properly, I felt I had to be strong and not upset dad, do you understand?” 

Joan looked at Kayleigh who was sitting with tears in her eyes, Kayleigh held her hand out, Joan took it and squeezed it.

“ When John's dad came along, we had this same scenario, him and I, just like you and John, one of us told the other how they felt, the other was too emotionally constipated to say any bloody thing, and nearly blew it, only difference was, it was Martin who told me, it took a long while for me to tell him, but he waited patiently, but eventually I did tell him I loved him, and I still do ,I miss him so much “

“So you think John takes after you ?“ Kayleigh said softly as the tears slowly ran down her cheeks. 

“ Definitely, I thought I was a lovey dovey, hands on, kisses and cuddles mum, full of love, but…”

“ But ?” 

“ When I see how Paul and Claire are with theirs,  I realise I wasn't, nowhere near, I didn't show my feelings nearly enough, Martin did but I didn't” 

“ But Paul? “ 

“ Paul has Martin's nature, too full of fun and nonsense to let emotions get in the way, Paul is bloody fruit loops most of the time” 

“ So, what happens now then ?” Kayleigh asked wiping her nose.

“ Depends, but I reckon you're going to give him another chance, otherwise why would you be sitting in an old Fiesta with a pensioner, in the pissing rain, listening to a sob story. ?“

“ Why indeed ?” Kayleigh grinned. She decided she liked Joan, a lot.

“ Kayleigh love, John is madly in love with you, he’ll put off telling you until he has to, that's just him, but the fact that you and him have fallen out because he didn't will have him thinking, it's drawn a line in the sand for him. My bet would be that if you told him again, he'd tell you, once bitten twice shy so they say, if he got a second chance, he would do things differently, he would never chance losing you a second time.”

“ I'll phone him “ 

“ No don't, John will be at home trying to work out how to say what he needs to say but doesn't want to say, let him tell you, make him work for you, make him face up to his his emotions, it's the least he can do after hurting you “

“ Do you only think, or are you sure he will ?” 

“ Kayleigh darling, he’s only emotionally retarded, not mentally, he knows full well love like yours only comes along once in a lifetime, and believe me he'll grab it “ 

Kayleigh held Joan's hand for a while, both women deep in thought.

“ Thanks for doing this Joan, you didn't need to though, you know I'd give him another chance don't you ?”

“ Yes, but I wanted you to know, it's because of me he's like he is” 

“ Caring, loving, gentle considerate and kind, willing to go out on a limb to help someone,  you're right Joan, he is very much like you “ 

“ Thanks Kayleigh “ Joan was genuinely touched by Kayleigh's tenderness.

“ No Joan thank you, for coming here, for caring, for this chat, but mostly for my John “ 

“ Oh he’s your John now is he missy ?“  Joan smiled, tenderly wiping a tear from Kayleigh's face. 

“ Oh he will be ,don't you worry, he will be” 

“ Good darling, I like the sound of that “ 

 

The sun broke through the clouds as she drove home, forecast was right she thought, its brighter now. And the long range forecast is even sunnier, today was just the first day of a very bright looking future.

“ Cora would be a nice name for a grandchild “ she thought “ Or Dean, I've always liked Dean”

She chuckled, when Kayleigh told John that she'd been paid a visit, he'd go apoplectic, oh how she wishes she could be there, just to say, “ well someone had to “ .


End file.
